Field of the Invention
This invention relates, in general, to fluidized bed combustors and, in particular, to a new and useful pressurized fluidized bed combustor and to a coal gun structure for use therewith which permits replacement of the coal gun without disturbing the pressurized combustion.
In the operation of a pressurized fluidized bed combustor, it is not unusual for one or more of the parts of the combustor to require service during operation so that these parts must be removed. In particular, it is desirable that the devices for directing coal into the pressurized bed be such that one or more of them can be placed out of operation and/or removed while still others continue to operate. With the known devices, a device for directing coal into the combustor could be removed only upon shut-down of the combustors, and this is both costly and time-consuming and, in addition, it may require operations for long periods of time with an inoperative coal gun until a convenient time could be selected for the replacement of the particular gun.